Concrete-form fastener.



J. C. BOEHM.

CONCRETE FORM FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24. 916.

1,212,817. Patented Jan. 16,1917.

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JOSEPH C. BOEHM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONCRETE-FORM FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application filed April 24, 1916. Serial No. 93,098.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH C. BOEHM, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete-Form Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

In constructing walls of concrete, it is more or less customary to use forms which are held apart by distance pieces or spread ers, and are drawn together by fastening devices. A common form of fastener consists of a loop of wire which usually extends out through or beyond the form boards, and This loop is then twisted by inserting a stick or rod therethrough and turning the same until the forms are tightened. After the forms have been removed, the ends of the loop remain projecting out beyond the sides of the wall, and usually have to be out 011, but the unprotected ends remaining in the wall are apt to rust and discolor the surface of the wall.

The present invention relates to an improved fastener which utilizes a wire loop, but which permits the cutting of the ends of the loop below the surface of the wall, so that after the wall-has been pointed up, there is no likelihood of discoloration.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a simple and efficient fastener or tightener for concrete forms; to provide such a fastener which will co-act with the wire loop so that the loop may be twisted by turning the fastener; to provide an arrangement whereby when the forms are removed, the wire will be the only part of the fastening arrangement remaining within the wall; to provide means whereby the wire may be out below the surface of the wall; to provide a substantial device which may be used a large number of times; and in general, to provide such an improved fastener and arrangement as will appear more fully from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention: Figure 1 is a sectional plan view illustrating the fastener in its first position, then after the wire has been twisted, and finally showing one of the fastener devices removed; Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the fastening devices or tighteners; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same; and Fig. 4 is an end view.

The concrete forms 5 and 6, as shownin these drawings, are intended to designate any ordinary or preferred form of construction. Usually these forms are held apart by means of spreaders or distance pieces 7. In order to draw the forms together, I provide fasteners 8 of the novel construction shown in the various figures. The preferred type of these devices comprises a socket or tubular member 9, which is closed at one end 10 and has a head 11 at the opposite end. This head may be made in any desired shape, but preferably comprises a hollow rectangle or socket, with an angular periphery, so that it can be readily engaged and turned by a wrench fitting either within or without the head. The hole or recess 12 in the tubular portion 9 is preferably rectangular in cross section and longer in one direction than the other. The inner end of the socket or tubular portion 9 is preferably tapered as shown at 13, where it projects within the mold or form. A hole let extends transversely through the inner end, and connects with grooves 15, which extend out to the extreme point of the device. A wire 16 for forming the loop passes through the hole 14 and engages with the grooves 15, and the portion thereof within the device preferably rests against the inner face 17 of the closed end. A chisel 18 having a cross section corresponding with the shape of the hole 12 is provided for inserting in this hole, and cutting off the wire. The edge of the chisel is properly arranged so that when the chisel is inserted in the hole, the edge will be at right-angles to the wire. This will prevent the improper positioning of the chisel in the device.

The ordinary method of using the device will be to provide holes through the forms 5 and 6 and insert two of these devices in oppositely positioned holes, and then pass the wire 16 through the holes 14 of the oppositely arranged devices, and then twist the ends of the wire together to form a loop, as shown at 19. It will of course be observed that the device may engage directly with the boards of the forms, or may also be made sufliciently long so as to extend through additional uprights or braces. When the loop has thus been made, it may be tightened by inserting a bar or rod therethrough and twisting in the ordinary manner, or may be tightened by turning either one of the devices by means of a wrench. When the serts the chisel 18 in each of the devices,.

and cuts the end of the loop which extends through the hole 14. The bottom of the hole 12 serves as an anvil to assist in the cutting. loosen the device, so that it may be readily removed, either by drawing each one out separately, which may be conveniently done after they have been turned to loosen the inner end from the wires, or all of the device may be withdrawn with the forms. As shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the severed ends of the loops project within the recesses 20 left in the face of the wall, and when these recesses are pointed up or filled with concrete the wires tend to bind thefiller in position. The recesses 20 may be made of any depth desired by making the devices correspondingly long.

It will be seen that by means of this invention I provide an arrangement whereby wire may be used for fastening the forms together, and the ends of the wire can be out below the surface of the wall, so that no projections will be left to rust and stain the surface. Furthermore, the forms may be rapidly placed and removed when these devices are utilized. The devices may of course be changed in form and size to provide for different conditions, and therefore I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction or arrangement herein shown and described except as specified in the following claims, in which- I claim:

1. In a concrete form fastener, the combination with the forms, of a wire loop which is shorter than the distance between the forms, means for connecting the ends of the loop with the forms, and means for severing the ends of the loop below the surface of the wall.

2. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a. wire loop for fastening forms, having one end terminat- This cutting action will tend tov ing at a short distance from the inner face of the form, means for fastening the end of the loop to the form, and means for severing the end of the loop.

3. In a form fastener, the combination of a wire loop, a socket for fastening the end of the loop to the form, and means co-acting with said socket for severing the end of the loop within the inner surface of the form.

at. A fastener for concrete form ties, comprising a socket with a central opening adapted to receive a chisel, and a transverse hole through the inner end for receiving the fastening wire.

5. A fastening device for concrete form ties, comprising a socket having a head at one end thereof and closed at the opposite end, said socket being provided'with a longitudinal aperture for receiving a cutting device, and being provided at its inner end with means. for engagement with a fastening wire.

6. A device of the character set forth, comprising a socket closed at one end and having a head at the opposite end for engagement with a wrench, said socket having a transverse hole adjacent to the inner face of the closed end, and grooves extending from the hole to the inner end, for receiving a fastening wire, the longitudinal opening in said socket being formed to receive a correspondingly shaped chisel, and arranged so that the chisel can only be inserted, in certain predetermined positions.

7. A fastening arrangement for concrete forms, comprising a loop of wire or the like adapted to have one or both ends embedded in the concrete, means for connecting the ends of the loop with the forms, and means for severing the ends of the loop below the surface of the wall, whereby the severed ends will project within the recessin the wall formed by the inner end of the fastening device.

JOSEPH c. BOEHM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

